So much for a potent, well rested Montreal team (2 games in 7 days) taking advantage of a Colorado team that normally leaks more often than a drunk political insider. Ok, so this wasn’t quite a Holly Holm-Ronda Rousey-like upset (the Avalanche, with their season already on the line, have reeled off three straight wins to kick off a seven game road trip) but Colorado was also without suspended captain Gabriel Landeskog after he tried to send Brad Marchand into the Charles River. But Mikhail Grigorenko took care of that issue by opening the scoring early and assisting on both of Nathan Mackinnon’s goals late in the opening period, sliding seamlessly into Landeskog’s spot alongside Mackinnon and Matt Duchene (five points in two games since reports surfaced that Colorado might want to trade him).
The Habs, meanwhile, discovered that Colorado’s goaltender, for now, is more than a Yogi Berra punchline waiting to happen. Reto Berra, a 28 year old Swiss League vet and NHL back up, looked like a guy who’s leading the NHL in Save Percentage. By the time the Habs figured out that his leg work was great and that maybe they should try to go upstairs, it was too late. Montreal doesn’t normally lose a goaltending matchup. But this one was no contest. It was, in fact, the story of the game.
Time to turn their attention to Ryan Miller’s oversized pants. Or to yet another back up.
THE GOOD
- Tomas Plekanec-Brendan Gallagher-Max Pacioretty. Accounted for 14 of Montreal’s 40 shots on goal (35%) including their only goal when Plekanec made like Wayne Gretzky behind the Avalanche net to feed Gallagher who beat Berra (up high) on a rebound for his team leading (with Pacioretty and Dale Weise) 8th goal of the season. It looked like the trio would open the scoring on a beautiful 4 way passing play but Pacioretty (one empty net goal in nine games) was robbed by Berra whose left pad save was as good as we’ve seen this season. Moments later Grigorenko made it 1-0. Later on, with the game already decided, Berra made impressive back to back saves on Pacioretty and Plekanec with his right pad. While Pacioretty’s skating still lacks some explosiveness he was (unlike in Pittsburgh) on mark with both the release and force of his shots. Any day now…
- Jeff Petry. Perhaps the presence of Nathan Beaulieu to his left (replacing the injured Alexei Emelin) allowed Petry even more leeway in rushing the puck but he was a force all night. He just couldn’t solve Berra. In the opening minute Petry skated through the slot – an area the Avalanche treat like it’s loaded with landmines – to fire a shot at Berra who made the save, then continued to the net to pick up his own rebound only to be stopped again. By the third period when he was again allowed to walk in and shoot he seemed so flummoxed by Berra that he missed the net. Petry (24:00) & Beaulieu (23:13) were 1-2 in ice time.
- Greg Pateryn. Welcome back to the NHL.
- Tom Gilbert. Other than a bad early give away by Pateryn and another penalty by Gilbert, the Habs 3rd D pair was ok.
- Moment of silence for victims of terrorist attacks in Paris. How refreshing to actually hear absolutely nothing from over 20,000 fans. Normally there is a very small group of self-centred, rude, obnoxious, liquored up, shameful young people who can’t help but take advantage of the moment by revealing how utterly clueless and disrespectful they are. But even they sobered up to the reality of the state of the world they shall soon inherit.
THE BAD
- Special Teams. First time in eight games the Habs failed to score on the power play while allowing another shorthanded goal (third this season, only the Devils and Coyotes have allowed more). Duchene’s goal – his fourth in three games – came on one of just two Colorado power plays.
- P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov. It figures that Markov might have some trouble with a team that skates as well as Colorado but what was Subban doing on the Montreal power play in the second as they pressed to make it a one goal game? His behind-the-back pass intended for Markov was way too cute and nowhere near his partner as Blake Comeau jumped on it for a break down the right wing. Subban wasn’t bailed out by his goaltender but the play was a backbreaker for the Habs. It was the second time the partners miscommunicated. Late in the first they played Alphonse & Gaston (look it up kids) which allowed Jack Skille to skate in alone on a breakaway. There was no goal but on the subsequent face off Mackinnon quickly made it 2-0. Subban was his usual monster force offensively with a game high eight shots on goal but with Berra as locked in as he was the defensive miscues were very costly.
- David Desharnais-Dale Weise-Tomas Fleischmann. Fleischmann was stripped of the puck on the opening goal and while they worked hard to get it back with both Desharnais and Weise coming close on wraparounds it was their second straight “meh” kind of performance.
- 4th line. Rare night off as the trio of Torrey Mitchell-Devante Smith-Pelly-Brian Flynn failed to register a single shot on goal.
- Alex Semin. Here we go. Understandably uptight to begin his first game in nearly three weeks but he couldn’t seem to do anything right until the third period. Michel Therrien threw him out to start the Habs first power play of the game but it looked dreadful, ultimately generating one shot on goal. I’d like to see the guy produce but here’s a sample of my game notes on Semin: 13 on 1st PP – loses puck battle to Cody McLeod…bad PP…Semin won’t shoot from high slot, sends it back instead to Greg Pateryn…17:00-Semin loses puck battle along boards. 2nd Period – Semin fans on shot in slot, puck goes to 27 who draws penalty…Semin falls down chasing puck…Galchenyuk passes to Semin who’s in close but shoots wide…13 bad high sticking penalty to zap momentum after Habs score to make it 3-1. 3rd Period – Semin good set up to 27 who can’t control the puck…13 gets puck to 81 but nothing develops…seems more relaxed. I have no axe to grind. But in a game against one of the worst defensive teams in the league Semin didn’t get a single shot on goal. Not only that but he looked bad (I’m sure others will continue to wave the Corsi flag. But it’s frayed.) Only by the third period, when the game was already over, did he seem to look like a player who was ready to make things happen offensively. Maybe he can build on it against Vancouver. But the clock is clearly ticking. (Something to think about if Semin doesn’t get going: Michael McCarron had another big night (5 points) for St. John’s Ice Caps in a 9-8 OT loss to Toronto Marlies. McCarron leads his team in goals with eight. While he has been playing centre he might look good back at his natural RW position – alongside Galchenyuk.)
THE UGLY
- Goaltending. It was bound to happen. Mike Condon’s first regulation loss in the NHL. He was probably still thinking about Colorado’s second goal, scored by Mackinnon off a face off (their first shot in 10 minutes) when Mackinnon beat him again on a backhand just 13 seconds later. Condon was off his angle and gave the Colorado winger way too much room on the glove side. But the Habs were back in the game in the second period trailing 3-1 and pushing hard on a power play when Subban’s gaffe led to the Comeau goal. The Avalanche forward’s shot came from well out and along the ice but it went right through Condon. There was no bouncing back from this one. Condon, who was not pulled from a single start last season in Hamilton, gave way to Dustin Tokarski to start the third period. It was an ugly night of save percentages for all Montreal goaltenders: Condon .636, Tokarski .846 and after allowing eight goals on 31 shots (.742) in his AHL start against the Marlies, Zach Fucale’s season save percentage sits at .894. Silver lining? Carey Price was on the ice Saturday morning in full equipment.
